Eli Manderson is the CEO of The Blagrave Trust, where he leads its mission to work alongside young people to shift power, resource youth-led change, and strengthen the ecosystems that enable young people to thrive.
Blagrave supports young changemakers through programmes designed with and for young people. The Challenge and Change fund provides £10,000 grants to lived-experience leaders aged 18–25 who are already organising and building change in their communities. The Pathways Fund offers multi-year unrestricted support for emergent youth-led groups working to challenge unjust laws, policies, and practices, alongside training and relational support. Blagrave also convenes an annual Youth-Led Change Day, bringing together young leaders for learning, community, and collective strategy. Through the Roots & Routes Fund, the Trust partners with national funders to resource youth-led organisations taking meaningful, community-rooted climate justice action with grants of up to £20,000.
Eli’s wider background spans policy, research, and strategy roles focused on youth empowerment, LGBTQIA+ rights, and racial and climate justice, including leading social justice research and philanthropic engagement at Ten Years’ Time. He also advises organisations within African diaspora and climate justice movements.
Originally from Manchester and now based in London, Eli is a committed advocate for cultures of care, joy, and sustainability within social change work.